Post your favourite Mount Screenshots

I have a few favorite mounts.. as for raptor, it has to be Flamelander.screenshot of my hubby and me on Flamelander Raptor together.
and my daughter sitting in the middle. :)

https://imgur.com/a/JSFnC

https://i.imgur.com/sjY1vQH.jpg

I can't. Anet forbade me from uploading screenshots :cry:

Here is my main (Ele) with her Jackal and Raptor.

While still a vanilla skin, one of the reasons why I still love this screen shot is because it really gives the feeling that we're on another planet. No humans here....I mean...except for the ones in the background.

The first new licence skin I unlocked finally allowed me to match my Raptor colours with my armor. (Coastal Spiketail skin)

Then I went crazy with the Skimmer.. tried all sorts of fun colour schemes but eventually settled on this.I find bright vibrant colours tend to clash on a lot of the mounts.. at least with the skins I own.. but it just feels natural with Skimmers :) (Oasis Skate skin)

I got the Halloween skins too.. mostly only used the Skimmer though.

I have Twin Sands and Storm Ridge as well though i'm not currently using Storm on any characters.. yet.Twin Sands I just wanted to look like a Husky :)

I have so many based on the character I've created. So favorites switch around depending on which character I'm using.My sylvari, Ascl with his striped tri-horn, Aodhhttps://imgur.com/PHvSsdO

My sylvari, Cicua with her clouded corvus, Alyahttps://imgur.com/gbnebCB

My norn, Klyppr with his savannah monitor, Eienhttps://imgur.com/8z2MPNk

My sylvari, Niva with his canyon spiketail, Albinhttps://imgur.com/C2kJKt9

My human, Rei with his banded mystic, Ercolehttps://imgur.com/EzzHEod

My sylvari, Sotis with his dajkah lantern, Cordeliahttps://imgur.com/esa2L9U

And finally my human, Zi with her twin sands, Linhttps://imgur.com/0HYkOEU

My Holosmith on his rapter and then on the griffon:

Here I am on my mount

@"Furious.2867" said:

Here I am on my mount

Yet another 2000 Gem skin, no doubt.

I've bougth 4 mount skins, but this is my favourite!Stardust is just amazing.

Just a little Asura trying to explore the world!

I want to believe!

I got a few:

@"Tachenon.5270" said:

I want to believe!

Owh god, thank you very much :lol:

Can someone share their new Winter's day mount? Thanks

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:Ymrii the asuran reaper now cannot be found without her Clouded Corvus griffon, Cioara, who enjoys playing with her food: corpse minions, risen with the power of necromancy.

"Morphologically, griffons bear a strong resemblance to the tengu species/people. Both are avianoid, with beaks, feathers, and clawed phalanges. Their pinnae are also strikingly similar in structure and are most likely homologous features, much like their forelimbs and hind-limbs are, having a common origin to one another."

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"The Clouded Corvus, Gryps corax nebulosae (shown above), is a different species of griffon than the common greater griffon (Gryps gryps gryps) which can be found in the arid and windy landscapes of Elona. They are, however, in the same genus: Gryps, of "greater griffons". Clouded Corvus griffons are predominantly found in the misty temperate rain-forests of the Woodland Cascades, but have been spotted ranging as far as the alpine forests of the Shiverpeaks--such as the Griffon Old Growth. The Corvus griffons are the only other species of griffon that are omnivorous (the other being the Sylph Griffon) and may occasionally dig up and consume tuberous vegetables--to supplement their diet of prey animals and grains like corn and wheat--much to the distress of the unfortunate farmer. The tails of the Clouded Corvus most closely resemble the tails of tengu, rather than those of other griffons and lesser griffons (Gryps-parvus spp.) whose tails more resemble those of charr--the similarities of the latter (between the tails of griffons and charr) are more likely a result of convergent evolution and are analogous in nature to one another."

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Lydaeia, the sylvari ranger, dotes on her Spotted Sylph griffon, Iulani, as she does her other pets.

"The Spotted Slyph griffon, Gryps sylphes occulatae (pictured above), on the other hand, prefers dense humid jungle and makes its home in the heart of the Maguuma Jungle. Its spotted and counter-shaded plumage helps it to camouflage seamlessly in the dense dappled canopy of foliage. Its range overlaps slightly with that of the Clouded Corvus but are not known to interbreed with them. It is thought that their tails are partially prehensile, an adaptation which serves to improve balance in the dense treetops. Anyone who has encountered a griffon will remember seeing wing-claws protruding from the wrist section of their wings and wondered what they were for. For the Spotted Sylph, these appendages assist in clambering through branches and are especially helpful when they are young and are blown out of the nest in heavy storms. Speaking of wet weather, to protect itself from the damp conditions of the jungle, the Sylph's uropygial gland produces a near-excessive amount of preen oil which assists in reducing feather pests due to its anti-parasitic, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties. Like the Corvus griffon, the Spotted Sylph is omnivorous: in addition to its diet of fresh saurian meat, of course, it enjoys consuming the plentiful fruits of the jungle with other frugivorous creatures of the jungle."

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Xyrra and her Highland Harrier, which she affectionately calls "B-180", often go traveling where transportation via golem is not the most efficient.

"The Highland Harrier griffon, Gryps circus collinae (displayed above), occupies the highlands of Ascalon--namely, the Blazeridge Steppes--but range into the Elonian highlands as well as the eastern hills of the Shiverpeaks and Steamspur Mountains. It has been reported that the Harrier griffon's feathers and flesh are poisonous to consume due to the batrachotoxins present in feather and skin samples taken for analysis. Observations of its depredation upon venomous krait and poisonous hylek, among other creatures like: spiders, wasps, mosquitoes, devourers, bats, wurms, sand eels, ibogas and skale may explain how the Highlands Harrier metabolises and then incorporates the various toxins into its system. Highland Harriers typically prefer to nest in craggy outcroppings and caves below the alpine snowline on mountainsides, as opposed to treetops like the Corvus and Sylph griffons, or open-ground-nests as with the lesser griffons, and more like the cliff-side nests of common griffons and Badlands griffons."

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Miaera befriended her Badlands-Stalker, Teodha, while hunting icebrood and defending griffon nests in the highland old growth forests of the western Shiverpeaks.

"Badlands Stalkers (a.k.a. Badlands griffons), Gryps volatus taciturnae (shown above), are silent fliers, soaring across canyons on thermals rising from the baked stone of the cliffs they call home. Ranging from the deserts of Elona and the Blazeridge Mountains to the canyons of Maguuma Wastes and the Steamspurs in-between, Badlands Stalkers are among the most wide-ranging (though, not most common) of griffon species. Their stockier build allows them to thrive in both hot and cold climates, ranging farther into chillier regions than all other greater griffon species (other than the common greater griffon), though they require warm columns of air to hunt effectively. Specialised down feathers, called 'pulviplumes' help to insulate the griffon from temperature extremes as well as providing a copious amount of feather dust which it uses to blind foes."

--excerpts from 'Descriptions of Griffon Subspecies: A Feathered Flurry'.

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:"In the abandoned stone halls of the Silverwastes, a land once known as the lush Silverwood, nests an exceptionally rare variety of Spotted Sylph. This breed, a bright red colour morph, would stand out as a sore thumb in the verdant greenery of the Maguuma Jungle to the west. Currently under review as a subspecies of the Sylph Griffon, Gryps sylphes, its proponents for subspecies status argue that they have diverged from the main population of Spotted Sylphs for hundreds of years and the two separate populations have not been interbreeding--though it is posited that they they still are able to produce viable offspring if they do. Opponents of the designation argue that there is not enough differentiation of evolutionary adaptations, other than colour, to warrant a separate subspecies. If this particular Spotted Sylph of the Maguuma Wastes were to receive status as a subspecies all to its own, it would most likely be named Gryps sylphes rufus, Gryps sylphes rudhira, or Gryps sylphes deserti. Like its sister-subspecies in the dense jungles of Maguuma, it also enjoys supplementing its diet with fruit but must obtain that fruit from other sources in the Maguuma Wastes in the form of cactus fruit. This dietary supplementation helps it to better compete with the more dominant griffon species in the region--the Badlands Stalker (Gryps volatus taciturnae), which tends to nudge out other species of griffons in ecosystems they inhabit, like the Clouded Corvus (Gryps corax nebulosae)."

http://i67.tinypic.com/t6frdl.jpg

"Theories on this particular breed of Spotted Sylph range from plausible to outlandish. One theory is that they were kept as livestock and hunting animals by the giants, using their eggs (and meat) as a steady supplementary food source and their feathers as symbols of status and to insulate their bedding and clothing. As giant society collapsed, these brilliant vermilion avianoids escaped the fate of the giants and now live as ghostly reminders of the Age of the Giants and the capricious nature of the Gods. Interviewing the friendly centaurs of the region have produced many stories and myths about griffons, in general, which have been known to occasionally prey upon centaurs and their young. Centaur myths both revere and revile them, as spirits of the wind and demons from the depths. The latter perspective most likely comes from the period of conflict between centaurs and the grey giant tribes of the area where griffons may have been used as beasts of war."

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"The griffon known as the Fire Pinion is also one that is known to very few and seen by even fewer. With feathers of flame and wings of wildfire, such a sight bewilders and befuddles onlookers. 'What God made that?' some human may ask. 'Where in the Eternal Alchemy did that come from?' an asura might ask. 'Pre-roasted chicken sounds good right about now,' a charr would possibly comment. The human, wrong; the asura, preoccupied; and the charr, irreverent. This griffon, created from the extinct Valley Pinion griffon (Gryps vallis plumae), was formed in the fantastical fires of high-elder and grandmaster djinns, in their forges in Vabbi to banish demons from dimensions beyond ours. The Valley Pinion, unlike other griffon species, lack the leathery patagium that has replaced the primary flight feathers on other species of greater griffon. This links the Valley Pinion Griffon to the lesser griffons as the bridge between the two species. It is thought that the leathery patagium helped the other greater griffon species to take advantage of warmer climes by allowing the quick release of excess heat."

http://i67.tinypic.com/6prnyc.jpg

"The Starbound griffon has a similarly mysterious and mystical origin and is even rarer and elusive than even the Fire Pinion, even though it is most likely created from the common greater griffon, Gryps gryps gryps. One theory is that it is an elaborate scheme between the Black Lion Company, The Consortium, and the secretive Mesmer Collective to confuse the populace. Another is that they are also a product of the djinn high-elders, imbuing these griffons with celestial magic from the Mists, used to combat demons not of this world. Regardless of its possible origins, the Starbound griffon is an excellent nocturnal hunter in the starry skies of Elona, practically melding in with the speckled tapestry of night above as it plunges towards its unsuspecting victim."

--excerpts from 'A Treatise on the Origins of Griffons and the Mechanisms of their Speciation'.

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:"Elonian raptors, Sauraptornis glabra, are fierce-looking bipedal saurians with jaws lined with rows of backwards-pointed serrated teeth adapted to tearing flesh from bone and preventing prey from pulling away and escaping. Gone are the days of old where large saurians lumbered throughout the tropical and sub-tropical climes along the southern coasts of what we know as Central Tyria and even as far east as beyond the Blazeridge Mountains. Those fearsome reptilians are now predominantly found in the dense and dangerous jungles of the Western Maguuma."

http://i66.tinypic.com/35mfeqb.jpg

"The Striped Tri-horn, Sauraptornis glabra striatae, is a subspecies of the common Elonian raptor (Sauraptornis glabra raptorae) found in the heart of the Maguuma Jungle and is believed to have diverged hundreds of years ago when the two populations became separated by the movement of the world and the passage of time. Its stripes help it to blend into the verdant vegetation of the jungle landscape, like in the tall grass meadows and the tangled vine thickets of Verdant Brink and Auric Basin. Like other reptilians and saurians, they have rows of teeth growing on the roof of their hard palate that serve as a conveyor-belt of teeth by which they are able to replace those that are broken or become lodged in the tough bony hides of their prey, such as arrowhead hatchlings and juvenile bristlebacks. However, Striped Tri-horns' diets primarily consist of smaller prey, especially when hunting alone. For lone hunters, packs of pocket raptors (Sauraptornis tyrannis minor) are still formidable prey and most opt for a steady diet of prey like jungle boar. The horns, shield and spikes on the heads of Elonian raptors protect their skull and vulnerable neck from attacks by other raptors during territorial confrontations or by creatures that would prey upon them."

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"Unlike the smaller, feathered Tyrian raptors (Sauraptornis filoplumae) encountered throughout Tyria--from the frigid Shiverpeaks and temperate steppes of Ascalon, to the balmy jungles and coasts of Maguuma--Elonian raptors are much larger and generally lack the more extensive feathering found on Tyrian raptors. They do however share certain behavioural similarities, such as their penchant for pack-hunting in groups of three or more. During the mating season, most raptors hunt in mated pairs and typically predate upon less risky prey items that are typically smaller than themselves. During the nesting period, the female raptor will incubate the eggs and protect them with her life while the male goes searching for food to feed the both of them. When the eggs hatch, both raptor parents leave the nest to hunt so the young are often left unattended and vulnerable to depredation. However, the young are not defenseless and are born with sharp teeth which they use to hunt insects (such as fireflies) in their infancy. Raptor hatchlings are often camouflaged and remain inodorous until their first year. Juvenile raptors often join their parents on hunts in order to learn pack-hunting techniques and stay with their parents until they are two or three years old to help raise their siblings in a form of alloparenting. Alloparenting helps to increase their 'inclusive fitness' by increasing the odds of shared genetics to being able to reproduce and reach the next generation."

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"The Savannah Monitor is another subspecies of the Elonian raptor and inhabits arid grasslands and steppes of Elona. Staples of its diet include agile rock gazelles, sand eels, and even sand lion cubs and cheetahs. Much like any large and wild animal, they will prey upon humans if desperate enough and given a chance. The one pictured above (Sauraptornis glabra pratensis var. palmiceus) is a variety found predominantly in and around palm groves and its monochromatic colouration better camouflages with the scaled trunks than the common green or gold varieties of Savannah Monitor."

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"Coastal Spiketails, Sauraptornis glabra costarum, are typically found hunting on the salty coasts for hermit crabs, and occasionally fish (along with other organisms, like drake hatchlings) along the edges of rivers. Teeth found on beaches frequented by Coastal Spiketails are often mistaken for shark teeth when found lodged in the empty rock-hard shells of hermit crabs--a healthy reminder to the hapless Tyrian traveler looking for sun, sand and waves. They are the only subspecies of the Elonian raptors that are semi-aquatic and have partially-webbed hind feet. Contrary to what their erroneous common name would suggest, Coastal Spiketails are more closely related to Common Elonian Raptors and Savannah Monitors. Like other reptiles, saurians and avians, the Coastal Spiketail has a second, translucent, eyelid called the 'nictitating membrane' which helps it to see underwater and prevents sand and dust from reaching and irritating the eye. For the other subspecies of raptor living in the arid interiors of Elona, the membrane also serves to protect their eyes from losing moisture from the dry desert heat. Unlike other raptors, Coastal Spiketails secrete venom from the brightly-coloured spikes on their jowls, elbows, tail, and hindquarters."

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"All Elonian raptors have sharp spines on the ends of their tails, but the Canyon Spiketails, Sauraptornis glabra spicacaudae, have two large and pronounced spikes on the ends of their tails that they use to defend against enemies. Males typically have larger tail-spikes than females because they are used during the rutting season to jostle for dominance of mating harems. True Spiketails also have elongated elbow spikes used to ward off rivals. The dominance over harems ensures that only the healthiest of males breed and pass on their genes to the next generation as tail spikes are thought to indicate the general health of the individual--the bigger the spikes, the more calcium obtained in its diet, and the better hunter."

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"Raptors, as a reference to the wider umbrella term (including Tyrian and Elonian raptors), are the only saurians left that have ranges spanning from the Maguuma in the west to Elona in the Southeast. The megasaurians (like Tyrannus, Ferothrax, and Angorodon) that terrorised the Tarnished Coast and the western Lowlands of the Steamspur Mountains (the region encompassing Sparkfly Fen and Mount Maelstrom) hundreds of years ago are now relegated to the deep jungles of Western Maguuma."

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"The Storm Ridge Raptor is erroneously thought to be a Branded raptor but is actually the product of manipulation by the air djinns--specifically, High Elder Kumaa the Feisty. These raptors prefer to hunt along the brand, consuming the energies of the Branded and digesting it in their guts and converting it back into pure air magic which ripples and crackles across their scales as a defensive and ever-present shocking aura."

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"Flamelanders are another raptor transmutation brought about by the powerful magics of the djinn, imbuing scales with fire and flames. Like other raptors, when faced with a threat, the Flamelander will hiss and sway its spiked tail from side-to-side, much like the arrowheads (Osteodermasaurus sagittacephalus) and stoneheads (Osteodermasaurus scuticephalus) of the Maguuma Jungle. If cornered and unable to flee, raptors will snap viciously with their jaws and use their sharp claws to maim their foes."

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"Flamelanders and Storm Ridge Raptors are even fiercer than their un-magicked brethren and are two of the most difficult to tame as they are as wild as the elemental forces that formed their ilk."

"The Resplendent Avialan, Sauraptornis avialae resplendens, is a curious case and is being included in this list due to its morphological characteristics and as an illustrative example as to the taxonomic interconnections that bind all life on Tyria to the Eternal Alchemy. As an organism that looks as eccentric as it does, one can begin to compare physiological symmetries between the Avialan and raptors as well as moas--the closest relative being the Green Moa (Sauraptornis tinamoa viridis) and the Eagle Raptor (Sauraptornis filoplumae aquilae). The colours of the Resplendent Avialan are unique in that they are devoid of pigments and instead get their iridescent hues from the microstructures of their feathers which bend light in a way that only allows certain wavelengths to be reflected out and into the eyes of potential mates and predators alike. This is part of the reasons they sparkle if they shake their feathers vigorously as their pulviplumes turn to feather dust and twinkle in the light, often dazzling and confusing any would-be predators. Their tail feathers serve a similar purpose in changing their shape and size to appear larger and less like prey, with hundreds of eye-spots serving the break up its silhouette and unnerve or even scare off threats. The eye-spots on the back of its head also deter predators from sneaking up from behind as they make it appear that the Avialan is aware of their presence. The crest feathers on the dorsal surface of its head are used to convey emotion--when they are raised, the Avialan is displaying territorial behaviour or as part of its mating display and indicates aggression or excitement. The black filoplumes on its upper eyelids appear to be analogous to eyelashes and serve the same purpose of keeping dust out of its eyes. Avialans were a recently discovered species of avian raptor found living in the dense jungles of Maguuma whose bountiful mysteries will provide centuries of new discoveries and research opportunities."

--excerpts from 'Breeding a Better Raptor: A Vein to Adventure' with research partially funded by the Tyrian Explorer's Foundation and the Beastmasters' Guild of Elona.

(Last Image: credit to Arenanet)

Have you noticed--when your griffon looks to the left, the rider looks to the left: when the griffon looks right, the rider looks right...when the griffon stretches, the rider stretches, too.

I don't have a screenshot, but I wish I had a film...one day, not long after mounts had been released, one of the dailies was to do an Orr vista. Used my portal tome to Siren's Landing and jumped up on the tower vista on the beach. As I watched the cinematic, it showed about 15 other springers bunny-hopping their way up the tower. It was a sight to behold.

One of my favorites that I took. Wish I had a better resolution but have to deal with it for now on my little monitor.

Bun.

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:"Common Springers (Leporupodidae communis) are found in great abundance grazing on the juicy grasses of the Elonian highlands in 'mobs' (or 'herds') numbering of about a dozen or more, typically. In the drier regions of Elona, Springers are found in smaller groups, while in the lush Elon Riverlands, they are found gathering in greater numbers due to the greater availability of food. In the highlands and alpine regions, it is common to see a mob of a dozen springers foraging for food in meadows and woodlands, browsing on the foliage of pines and shrubs growing on precarious ledges other species may not be able to reach. Springers often compete with mountain longhorns for food as they generally consume the same vegetation, but during spring, both species can be seen herding together to better manage predators such as wolves, bears, skelk, wargs, and griffons. Male springers are known as 'bucks' or 'boomers' and females are called 'does' or 'flyers' while their young are 'kits', 'leverets', or 'buns'."

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"The Tawny Hare Springer, Leporupodidae tanni, is found mainly in the montane grasslands and shrublands generally referred to as 'highlands' but are known to frequent woodlands and alpine biomes that border their range. Unlike other springer species, Tawny Hares will form communal maternity warrens in caves during the breeding season as their young are born altricial--blind and deaf--and vulnerable to predation. It is because of this one difference that tawny hares are considered by researchers to be a rudimentary form from which the other species of springers speciated from. Springers have a pair of ever-growing, and razor-sharp, incisors which are coated in many layers of hard enamel. Because their teeth never stop growing, springers have an evolutionary habit of gnawing which keeps their incisors from overgrowing, preventing them from eating, and puncturing their skulls. In the wild, their diet of tough grasses, tree-bark, and nuts with hard-shells allows them to naturally wear down their teeth without need of supplementary sources. However, in captivity, springer ranches must plate their stables with steel to prevent them from gnawing on support beams and collapsing stables and other wooden structures. Stablemasters will often provide them with gnawing-sticks or allow free-run in pastures where springers have access to natural materials on which to gnaw on such as limestone, wood-logs, or by supplementing their feed with hard-shelled fruits and nuts like coconuts."

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"The 'Spotted Hopper' (Leporupodidae maculosum), or 'Windy Spot' as it's more commonly known, is found in alpine and montane regions sharing niches with the more cold-hardy Arctic Jerboa and the Tawny Hare which lives in more rugged terrain of the craggy highlands. Its coat is white with black speckles and spots which helps it to camouflage better amongst the alpine scrubland. Windy Spot Springers enjoy nibbling on hardy herbs such as rosemary and thyme as well as consuming pine nuts and needles. Like other springers in the alpine and highland regions, blueberry bushes are a reliable source of food during the colder months of autumn. During winter, springers must dig for starchy tuberous vegetables likes carrots--which are high in sugars--beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, cassavas, and yams--but not potatoes, as their skin contains toxic amounts solanine. Similarly, onions and garlic (or other plants in the genus Allium) are not recommended for springers as the phytochemical, thiosulfinate, causes hemolytic anemia and anaphylaxis which then leads to laboured breathing, lethargy, and eventually death.

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"The Desert Lop, Leporupodidae nebulosa, pictured above, is found in the savannahs and grasslands of Elona, not the desert as its name would suggest. Its mottled rusty coat allows it to blend in seamlessly with the dappled shade of mebahya and acacia trees and the red sun-baked sands and sheer stone-cliffs of Elona. The Desert Lop, if transplanted to the Maguuma Wastes and Tarnished Coast would do quite well as an invasive species, most likely out-competing natives species of fauna such as deer. The Lionguard Joint-Commissioner of Invasive Goods currently requires that wide-eyed Tyrians register their bounding mounts at the Port of Amnoon before applying for a permit from the Lion's Arch Port Authority. Asura should be advised that the Rata Sum Port Authority will not issue permits to those who have been rejected by the Port Authority in Lion's Arch due to the Joint-Commission's signing of binding conventions across Central Tyria. These conventions were adopted partly due to the disastrous debacle brought about by the Consortium's development and settlement of Southsun Cove, leading to an invasive invasion of the common karka (also known as Levvi's Karka, Leviathanus carcinus levvii) and an expensive extermination campaign which saw the hiring of dozens of freelance exterminators from across Tyria by Special Commissioner Turl Sharptooth."

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"The Elonian Jacklope (Leporupodidae antilocuni), also known as the 'Striped Jackalope', is the only species of springer that has antlers. Both males and females of the species grows antlers (antlerogenesis) near the beginning of the wet season in Elona in which most breeding seasons occur in the parched arid region. This ensures that young are born at the height of Elona's wet winters (on the lowlands) when food is plentiful. The three alpine/montane species of springers follow the traditional spring breeding seasons found in the temperate regions of Tyria unlike the lowland species or the common springer which is an opportunistic breeder where females ovulate year-round. The Elonian Jackalope is of minimal relation to the Tyrian Jackalope (Antiloleporidae papilli) which is about fifty-times smaller and share similarities possibly as a result of both convergent evolution and distant common ancestry."

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"The Elonian Jackalope is a highly variable species coming in many colour variations and combinations due to their rarity and wide-range. The one pictured above (Leporupodidae antilocuni var. leucotigris) is a colour variation found in tall-grass grasslands turned golden from the abundant sunshine of Elona. The black-and-white striped colour variant (Leporupodidae antilocuni var. equustriata) is found primarily among pine groves where it must avoid depredation by the Savannah Palm Monitor as well as roving prides of sand lions (Panthera leo desertarum). Aqua stalker cheetahs (Panthera acinonyx riparius) are generally too small to take down an adult springer, but springer kits often fall prey to the lithe felines which are able to outrun an adult springer. It is known that springers are able to utilise their strong hind limbs for rapid vertical and horizontal movement, as well as their muscular tails for defense against predators and as a counter-balance in which to make sharp turns and other agile maneuvers but there has been preliminary research into their use in cracking the hard eggshells of harpies in the desert highlands and that translation into application in karka management services on Southsun."

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"The Arctic Jerboa (Leporupodidae alpinae) is a special breed of springer found in the southeastern peaks of the Steamspur Mountain Range. It is the most cold-adapted springer species known to science and is quiet rare, living in bonded-pairs or found foraging alone in the frigid altitudes of the high alpine regions, such as the Shiverpeaks. Copper-rich foods in their diet include turnip greens, spinach, kale, asparagus and sugar pumpkins as well as various nuts and seeds which they can temporarily store in their cheek pouches. Cheek pouches allow springers to continue foraging without pause and take advantage of when there are a bumper crop of a particular nut far from their den--they can then stock up and make fewer trips back and forth. Arctic Jerboas have crystalline protrusions from the back of their mandibles which serve as displays during the mating season to indicate personal fitness--the larger the crystalline horns, the better the diet of montane grasses which contain a higher amount of silicates. Their horns are made of chrysocola, which incorporates the silica and copper present in their diet, and due to the value of the gem, they are often poached in parts of their range in the Shiverpeaks by norn hunters and human prospectors-turned-poachers alike."

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"The Primal Hare is a corruption of common springers by enterprising fire djinn experimenting on warbeasts to help fend off Primordus's hordes as well as other dragon minions such as the Branded."

"Caprapodidae summi, also known as the Summit Chevon or Summit Wildhorn, is a rare creature found in the hilly regions of southern Vabbi and the only known specimens were found in Seborhin's Menagerie before Kralkatorrik's flight scarred the region. The species had only since been rediscovered by rugged explorers navigating the unforgiving physical and political landscapes of Vabbi. The Wildhorn will gather in spring breeding herds which are typically dominated by one male once mating dominance has been established through rutting matches where they will use their muscular tails and feet to kick and slap opponents and will use their horns to grapple and headbutt one another until a winner is decided by the opponent tiring and giving up. These encounters are seldom fatal, but fatalities do occur in extremely rare cases."

--excerpts from 'Springers: A Search For Practical Faunal Applications Against Karka Infestations' by Researcher Levvi.

[Last image credit to Arenanet.]

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:"The skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta sbspp.) is a peculiar creature, inhabiting neither land nor water although appearing to be a wholly marine entity. Instead, the skimmer inhabits the air just above the surface of land and water using microthermals to help it keep afloat. However, it cannot float with thermals alone, ought the rest of us would be floating above the searing sands of the Crystal Desert in the blisteringly hot light-bending mirages. Skimmers have an unbelievably efficient respiratory system equipped with modified swim-bladders retained from their possible prehistoric origins in the primordial ocean. Their air-bladders are highly evolved forms of swim-bladders found in nearly all piscine species living in the unending oceans and possibly in the Sea of Janthir, formerly known as the Giant's Basin. The two holes visible on the junction of their fin and torso are called 'pneumatic ducts' which allow air into their air-bladders. The pneumatic ducts are believed to be modified from the gill-slits their ancestors had when they lived beneath the water. Skimmers are also able to fill their lungs and stomachs with air through their mouths for extra buoyancy. To propel themselves forwards, skimmers have hyponomic siphons that can eject the air stored in their air six bladders (three on each side). Their aerodynamic body structure, complete with a pairs of main fins and two minor fins, enables them to effortlessly glide through the air without needing to constantly force air out of their air bladders to continue forward momentum. Doing this would needlessly deplete the accumulated helium filtered in by their gas glands located near the mouth of the pneumatic duct. Their lungs, should water enter them, are able to convert the water into oxygen and hydrogen through a process called, 'hydroelectrolysis'. This process is enacted by the lamellar filaments present in their lower trachea."

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"The Bright Ringfin Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta annulatus) is most closely related to the types species of skimmer, the Common Skimmer, also known as the Sand Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta harenarum). It inhabits similar inland habitats as the common skimmer and is the second tamest skimmer subspecies after the common skimmer. This is owed in part to its gregarious nature during the spring breeding season where it can be found feeding in large social 'fevers' corralling swarms of insects (such as locusts and scarabs) into large bait-balls which are easier to feed from."

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"The Spined Longtail Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta spinacaudae) is the least tame of the inland skimmers, including the two freshwater subspecies. It often lives nearer to the hilly headwaters of the region where males of the species stake claim to breeding rights. They are fairly aggressive when defending their territory as females require gently flowing water in order to lay its eggs in and a male without a territory is a male without offspring--talk about selective pressures!"

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"The Oasis Skate (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta oasiensis) is another close relative to the well-known Sand Skimmer. Unlike the Spined Longtail, Bright Ringfin, and Common Sand Skimmer, the Oasis Skate cannot go prolonged periods of time without access to fresh water. In cases where oases become too small and too salty, the Oasis Skate will ingeniously consume the insects and fruits near the oasis in order to keep from dehydrating. It will then use special sensors on the tips of its cephalic fins and pectoral tentacles to locate freshwater, similar to humans using dowsing rods. The oasis skate is the least tame of the two freshwater inland subspecies, the other being the River Mothwing Skimmer, and are both less tame than the common skimmer but more tame than the Spined Longtail Skimmer."

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"The River Moth-Wing Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta fluvialis), much like the Oasis Skate, must stay near freshwater in order to survive as it cannot sustain itself for long periods without drying out. The longest it is able to go without freshwater is three days, much like the humans who catch, tame, and use them for transport. The Oasis Skate is able to go a bit longer without water at four days, but will obviously become sluggish and slow as the second day crawls along without water. The River Mothwing's diet consists mainly of insects and small birds as well as rodents and anything else it can catch while gliding through the air such as pollen and other small particles floating around in the humid landscapes it inhabits (Elon Riverlands, Maguuma Jungle, Tarnished Coast, Sparkfly Fen, etc.). Unlike other skimmers, the River Mothwing has four barbels it uses to detect scents, air pressure, vibrations in water, and moisture--much like the two pectoral fins skimmers possess--and aids in finding prey as well as freshwater and potential mates."

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"The Dajkah Lantern Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta lucernae) is a particularly extraordinary subspecies of skimmer due in part to its ability to bioluminesce. It is the deepest-diving subspecies of skimmer known to science and its glow helps it to see, navigate, and lure prey in the ocean depths into its waiting maw. Dajkah Lanterns are named after the elaborate floating lanterns that light the Dajkah Strait every year as the humans in the region celebrate a year of bounty and pray for a prosperous year full of starlight to safely guide their ships across the Unending Ocean and pay homage to the spirits of the sea. They are also named so as they frequent the sheltered waters of Dajkah's inlet to breed and spawn and are often not encountered anywhere else as they are normally hunting in the murky depths of the Unending Ocean. The brightly shining 'esca' at the ends of their 'illicium' (modified pectoral fins erroneously referred to as 'antennae') are what most people notice about the fantastical creature which they use to hunt in the dark inlets found in and around the coasts of Dajkah. The Dajkah Lantern has three methods of producing bioluminescence: (1) mutualistic bacteria living in their esca; (2) chemiluminescence via the enzyme luciferase and the photoprotein aequorin; and (3) electroluminescence through the manipulation of sodium in the ionic channels of its electrocytes found along its body. Riders of the rare Dajkah Lanterns should not fear electric shock from mounting one of these creatures, as the electrocytes on the body of skimmer only produce low-voltage phosphorescence--it is the electrocytes located on its cephalic fins near its mouth one should be worried about. The high-voltage electric charge produced by its cephalic fins is used to stun its prey. Its cephalic fins are also able to discharge a stream of electricity along its ventral surface towards its tail to defend against predators. It is due to this adaptation that P. f. lucernae must have access to salt water and are unable to live in freshwater as the common, ring-fin, moth-wing, and long-tail skimmers are able to do. To those who keep the two saltwater species inland, it is imperative one keeps either saltwater or a salt-lick for their Dajkah and Oceanic skimmers to maintain an acceptable level of sodium for the proper physiological functioning of their organs."

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"The Oceanic Ray Skimmer (Pneumastoma fluophysomanta pelagicus), as well as the Dajkah Lanterns, is able to dive underneath the ocean's surface to hunt for fish and other creatures other skimmers normally have minimal access to. Because of this fundamental difference, The Tyrian Taxonomic Council for the Conservation of Finite Flora and Fauna (or the 'TTTCCFFF' for short) is reviewing submissions and suggestions on re-naming these two subspecies as separate species from the freshwater and inland species of skimmers listed above. It is thought that oceanic rays are the most common species living in the Unending Ocean and that the ancestor of all skimmers lived beneath the water or near the ocean's surface in the sunny algae-and-plankton-rich epipelagic zone. Oceanic Rays are the only other subspecies, other than the sand skimmers and oasis skates, that form groups called 'fevers' (not 'schools') in which to feed, breed, and better flee from predators such as sharks, wyverns, and griffons."

--excerpt from 'From Sand Skimmers and Pond Skippers to Ocean Swimmers and Gliding Glimmers: An In-depth Study of Rays' research commissioned by The Tyrian Taxonomic Council for the Conservation of Finite Flora and Fauna.

I'd post mine but it's not for kids under the age of 18. :anguished:

@"Reincarnatie.7254" said:"Jackals are mystical constructs of wind and sand created and tamed by the djinn of the Desolation. In the wake of Nightfall, remnants of Abaddon's tormented magic left by the Margonites' presence seeped into the Crystal Desert. Left alone, this magic would coalesce into tormented remnants over time. To cleanse the Desolation of this magic, the djinn have gathered at Sand Jackal Run and taken to reshaping this tainted sand into jackal-shaped constructs. The djinn imbue their magic into runes taken from the bodies of tormented remnants to tame the tormented energies, and in turn the jackals. These jackals are feral and hostile initially, and still seek to bring about Nightfall. Once tamed, it is said that the eyes of the jackal are all that remains of their Margonite forebears. Jackals remain attuned to the Realm of Torment and are capable of utilizing sand portals as entryways into the Mists to travel distances instantly."

--excerpt from 'Of Jackals, Margonites, and Djinn' found in grand library in the Mists called The Sanctum of Truth and Knowledge.

[image below from Arenanet and quote above from the wiki.]

"Upon completing directives from the Durmand Priory and transcribing the book on Jackals, an entity borne of elemental magicks manipulated by beings called 'Djinn', I reopened the rift with the New Krytan transcriptions in hand and stepped back into the realm of existence we are solely familiar--Tyrian sun blinding and Elonan sands scorching as I remembered from months prior. Return travel from the Mists can be a bit tricky and it seems that I've a way to travel to get back to northern Elona and the Tomb of the Primeval Kings. What's trickier is trying to translate Elonian texts into New Krytan while fending off shadow-demons trying to eat all your research materials and language tutors, but that entry is for another day. Judging from the unmistakable stench of rotten moa eggs, I must be in the desolate Sulfurous Wastes. Now the day's objective is figuring how to get off this floating castle and getting all this sand out of my fur--no wonder none of the Legions ever set foot in Elona. I don't know these humans survived in this forsaken land for so long."

"Reading about the djinn is one thing, meeting them is another altogether--don't even mention having to try and bargain with them: these dust-rags are tougher than marmox hide. They had me fighting tormented remnants for sand, rune-stones, and unbound magic in order to forge the exact same Sand-Jackals the Priory had me researching for them. I think this might be an opportunity to write a compendium with the transcribed manuscripts and anecdotes from my time here in this sand-ridden djinn enclave."

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"The Twin Sands are an exemplary case of the whimsicality of djinn creations--'like a leaf in the gale' as they like to say. Whichever djinns created this sand-jackal most definitely enjoyed playing practical jokes and pranks on their fellow elementals--and it shows in their creation. The Twin Sands jackal is quite rare and is created from sands touched by the coldest frost in the darkest of desert nights and yet it embodies the delight of novelty and the loyalty of perseverance through hardships. Counting myself lucky to even have been able to encounter one let alone study it in person, my djinn hosts allowed me to study the methods of its creation from the grandmaster djinns themselves with a oath of secrecy--one I intend to keep because this charr does not want to be on the receiving end of pure elemental wrath--I've seen what fire does to fur and know what elemental magic can do to entire cities. Nonetheless, more research to come in the coming weeks on the creative diversity of jackals yet unknown to science. Lacking the penta-optic eyes of Abaddon, Twin Sands are the most purified forms of Sand-Jackals and are the least aggressive of the canine sand elementals."

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"The Banded Mystic Jackal is a curious spirit, created from sand and stone bound with runic symbols inscribed on their body with elements of wind and earth by djinn of those respective elements. Unlike the playful Twin Sands, the Banded Mystic is curious and clever, requiring its handler to manage its mischief accordingly and train it to redirect its energy towards dispelling torment magicks left behind after Abaddon's fall. The djinn that have gathered at this nexus of energies in the Desolation are working together to remediate the corruption-wrought land by the fallen god of shadows and secrets. After dispersing the tormented elements and gathering their inert parts, they were brought to the djinn who gathered in various ceremonial plazas suspended high in the air. There, their rituals magically imbued the runes on the stones and the otherworldly creature began to take its form from the pile of aggregate that lay on the floor in the center of the room. The sands hissed as they shifted and swished around the glowing stones; the stones grumbled as they shook and slid as the clacked across the stone-tiles of the ground, picking up into the air into the shape of a feral form with gnashing teeth and a thick body of coloured sand--unlike the light and airy body of swirling sands the common Sand-Jackals possess. The Banded Mystic is a favourite of High Elder Kumaa the Feisty."

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"The Polished Stone Jackal is an elite sand-jackal, like the Twin Sands, Banded Mystic, and Crowned Ancient. However, unlike all of the other types of sand-jackals, this particular iteration was created with runic sand, not runic stone and its magicks are instead painstakingly bound to each grain of sand that composes its body making it less susceptible to damage and unbinding. The Polished Stone Jackal is the preferred sand-jackal of High Elder Juaruadun the Flawless."

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"The Crowned Ancient Jackal, like other elite sand-jackals, are made of more tormented sands and imbued with more elemental magic than their common counterparts. The Crowned Ancient was created by the most ancient of earth djinn, including Rubedon, the Trembling Earth. Unlike the other sand-jackals, the Crowned Ancient wasn't created from any plebeian tormented creature, but a demon known as the Grasp of Insanity, which appears to have been corrupted from an ancient saurian that once roamed the Crystal Desert before it was a desert."

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"The Pyroclast Jackal is an innovation of the earth djinn and the fire djinn, forged in the pyroclastic flows of the Derelict Delve by Jubua the Wildfire. Its body is of molten magmatic stone that appears the consistency of wet sand but is so hot it will cause most materials to burst into flames upon contact. The heat from the Pyroclast's body has even been found to melt and degrade Branded crystals, given enough time."

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"The Stardust Jackal is the preferred sand-jackal of Effazu, the Lodestar when hunting Branded. Seemingly stitched together from the fabric of the night sky, the Stardust Jackal is created in cooperation of the High Djinn Elders of all elemental backgrounds as the strongest candidate to contend with both the Branded and the remnants of torment lingering in Tyria and spilling in from the Mists."

--notes from 'Mists, Sands, Books and Pages: Research Notes on Jackals and their Creation' published by the Durmand Priory.

Wow amazing work guys/gals.. Some screenshots are just amazing. Keep them coming. :)